I have just started the program and I could really use some support. I feel like I am floating on an island all alone. I had no idea it would I would be so unsupported. Is there some kind of a student support group or a long distance study group? I could go on and on about all the ways I am feeling super bummed out, but think I will leave it at this. If you are going though the program I would love to hook up with you!

I've been an NCM student and had the exact same feelings you're having. Isolating for sure - just me and my books. My preceptors were a bit too busy to really want to delve into the work. It's frustrating that there is not a student forum for discussing course work. I know people (students) have tried to start online discussion groups and it never really worked. I would call it a distance-based self-study program that accompanies an apprenticeship. I did participate in study groups (unrelated to NCM) that were helpful in getting some interaction. For the most part - I was having a lot of discussions in my own head - the program could be greatly improved with some facilitated online interactions between current students.

There is a wonderful yahoo group for student and new midwives ([email protected]). It has great information and you get good support from those ladies. I am an NCM student as well and it is hard to get yourself going sometimes. I found that my momentum increased over time as I felt like I was putting things together and understanding things more clearly. Its a process and it takes lots of discipline. I was very fortunate to find several other NCM students in my area who had an ongoing study group. That group has disbanded (people finished the program or dropped out) but a local midwife hosts a monthly study group which I find incredibly energizing. Reach out to other midwives who may have apprentices and find someone you can study with - it makes such a huge difference.

I'm a prospective Midwifery student, would you recommend the National College of Midwifery? I'm also looking into Maternidad de la Luz program, has anyone studied with them? Any feedback, tips, advice would be MUCH appreciated!

There is also a good Midwifery Education page on facebook. I think it's connected to the Midwifery Today page.

Midwife (CPM, LDM) and homeschooling mama to:14yo ds To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.11yo dd To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.9yo ds and 7yo ds To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.and 2yo ds To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I feel your pain!!!! I've been enrolled since 2011 and was busy working in a home-birth setting with two other midwives...then I moved and now it is literally just me and my books! I am very very isolated and have no community here. NCM is virtually just a web-page. No support here from my preceptors either....at least not for the academics. Do you want to do some online chat and support or phone calls with me? I'd love to join up!

You do need to find a preceptor before applying, right? It's actually located in my state, and I am interested in an internship at the Northern New Mexico birth center, but it's expensive to do so! Also, it's expensive to pay their apprentices the way they recommend/expect, which is what holds me back -- besides the initial $5K fee. I do like that a lot of their subjects are now linked online. I have began using those as a self-study of sorts, until I figure out where to go from here. I also like that they offer an associates degree, and of course that it is MEAC accredited. I don't like the lack of structure or the price, though.

Sounds like you have a lot of great options ! I am in RI we are battling for CPM's ti be recognized and liscenced in our state ,it looks like they are going to be liscencing MEAC midwives. Yes you need a preceptor right away , but my question is how much time do I need to work with 1 for the first year. Im not ready to do births again yet, it's a lot of work and I have a nursing 8 month old. I was an a pep apprentice for 2 years so I now what im in for .

$5000 IS actually very reasonable , most MEAC programs are $30K .

The national midwifery institute is very similar , you should check that out. I'm still not sure witch one is better, I like the ideah of the ASM in the end also.

Sounds like you have a lot of great options ! I am in RI we are battling for CPM's ti be recognized and liscenced in our state ,it looks like they are going to be liscencing MEAC midwives. Yes you need a preceptor right away , but my question is how much time do I need to work with 1 for the first year. Im not ready to do births again yet, it's a lot of work and I have a nursing 8 month old. I was an a pep apprentice for 2 years so I now what im in for .

$5000 IS actually very reasonable , most MEAC programs are $30K .

The national midwifery institute is very similar , you should check that out. I'm still not sure witch one is better, I like the ideah of the ASM in the end also.

My goal is to one day be a midwife. I live in Montana. Does anyone have any advice on how to get things going? I have no idea where to even start or what to do. There are no midwives right where i live but there are some 145 miles away, and one travelled to where I live for my birth a few months ago. I really dont know whats involved or anything, so if someone could tell me a little more about my options, costs, how much time it takes, etc I would really appreciate any advice or info!

Start your journey with your midwife. Ask her questions. There are different kinds of midwives so research the different types and choose the education, training track that best suites you and your background and goals. I know there are Certified Professional Midwives (CPM), Certified Midwives (CM), Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM), and I think their are still some Granny Midwives around that were grand"mothered" in under the title CM. Good starting place is inamaygaskin.com...she is the our nation's leading Midwife and my idol!

I enrolled in NCM and am quite honestly a bit frustrated at the lack of support or prepartion...less on my end of things and more for my preceptor. It seems that the academic responsibility is also part of my preceptors job, and she is left with very little/no guidance at all...

I'm curious...for those that attend NCM how did your preceptors approach the academic responsibility of it?

I'm not sure what you mean by academic responsibility. But I'll tell you a little about my experience.

I was very surprised at how little support there was for my preceptors. I'd assumed that they would be receiving some guidance of some sort - on how to teach, how to evaluate my skills and progression, that there would be some sort of guidelines for my preceptors in the role they were taking as a preceptor with the school.

At one point I'd asked my 2nd preceptor how often NCM contacted them - because I'd assumed there was some interaction with preceptors outside of my semester (trimester?) reports. And she said she never heard from the school.

Yes. Frustrating.

Anyway - I'm interested to know what you mean by 'academic responsibility' - I may be able to answer your question more thoroughly.